Microsoft Sues Motorola Over Android-Based Smartphones

What a way to start off Q4! You can't blame Microsoft for not making
things interesting, as the company who should be focused on executing a
perfect Windows Phone 7 launch is instead focused on getting their
lawyers all up in Motorola's business. Microsoft has just filed a patent
infringement action against Motorola, with Horacio Gutierrez, corporate
vice president and deputy general counsel of
Intellectual Property and Licensing, saying the following:

"Microsoft filed an action today in the International Trade Commission
and in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
against Motorola, Inc. for infringement of nine Microsoft patents by
Motorola’s Android-based smartphones. The patents at issue relate to a
range of functionality embodied in Motorola’s Android smartphone devices
that are essential to the smartphone user experience, including
synchronizing email, calendars and contacts, scheduling meetings, and
notifying applications of changes in signal strength and battery power.

We have a responsibility to our customers, partners, and shareholders to
safeguard the billions of dollars we invest each year in bringing
innovative software products and services to market. Motorola needs to
stop its infringement of our patented inventions in its Android
smartphones."

But here's the strange part. Why Motorola? It seems like the obvious
person that they're aiming at is Google, as the suit notes that nine
Android-based smartphones are the issue. But we're guessing that this
may also have to do with modifications that Motorola has made (BLUR?),
and Microsoft is none too pleased. It should be interesting to see how
this plays out. This isn't the first time that Android has been at the
center of high-profile lawsuits, and judging by this, we doubt it will
be the last. Who's next in line? Anyone?